SCHOOLBOY ATTACK 'HATE CRIME' PROBE

Taoiseach slams 'sick individuals' who filmed it | Second assault being investigated

- PAUL HEALY

THE thugs who attacked a teenage boy in Navan are being disciplined by their school – as gardai probe if a hate crime occurred. 

The young boy, who is just 14 years old, was subjected to a horrific assault in Navan, Co Meath, on Monday in an attack that was filmed and widely shared on social media this week.

Now this paper has learned that the Garda probe into the assault is focused on whether a potential hate crime was committed.

Gardai define a hate crime as a criminal offence in which it is “perceived by the victim or any other person to, in whole or in part, be motivated by hostility or prejudice, based on actual or perceived age, disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender”.

However, there is no hate crime legislation currently in place as the government is set to have its new law on the issue ratified by the Seanad.

But it is understood that gardai have logged the incident as a potential hate crime based off the international McPherson test. The incident is also being investigated as an assault, with the Garda press office saying the force is investigating it as such.

It has emerged that Beaufort College in Navan is to issue disciplinary proceedings against students alleged to have been involved in the assault.

In a statement to this paper, the Louth and Meath Education and Training Board said: “The patron, LMETB, and school management have made the services of NEPS available to the school. Guidance and counselling staff employed by LMETB are providing support and assistance on an ongoing basis.